Washing machine



Oct. 5 1926. 1,602,138

F. w. WAPPAT WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIBJ.

Oct. 5 19256., 1,602,138

- F. w. WAPPAT WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wk WOct. 5,1926. 1,602,138

F. W. WA PPAT WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5FIBJEI.

//v VEN 70R 7H J F. W. WAPPAT WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16 1925 4SheetsSheec 4 Patented Get. 5, 1926.

FRED W. WAPPAT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

wnsnme mcnmn.

Application ,filed July 16, 1925. Serial No. 48,94 2.

- this type having improved and simplified means for supporting theweight of the container and securing its oscillation; the provision ofan improved baffle arrangement for the tub peculiarly adapted for an"efficient agitating and scrubbing effect when used in a tub having theform of movement above referred to; the provision of an improved form ofbottom construction for the tub adapting it to successfully sustain thestrain imposed upon it and incident to supporting the tub from beneath,and giving it its movements by means located below the tub; and theprovision of a construction wherein the parts exposed to the greateststrain and wear may be readily removed and replaced and at a relativelylow cost. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the general arrangement, including thewringer, which is shown on a relatively somewhat larger scale than thetub. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of-Fig. 3. Fig. 3 isa transverse section on the line 111-111 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetailplan view of the washer drive coupling device.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections through the tub,

Fig. 5 being a horizontal section and Fig. 6 a vertical section. AndFig. 7 is a detail section on the line VII-VH of Fig. 6.

The supporting frame or base of the machine consists of the tubular body1, provided with the legs 2 riveted thereto, and the conical top 3,secured thereto by screws or bolts and having the opening 4 at itscenter.

The body is stifiened by the 'transverse angles 5, 6, 7 and 8, rivetedto the legs 2 and to each other as indicated in Fig. 3, and acting as-asupport for the motor, and driving mechanism which operates the washerand its wringer.

Bolted securely to the transverse angles, is the motor 9 and the gearcasing consisting of the castings 10 and 11. The motor is provided witha horizontal drive shaft 12 mounted in suitable bearings and providedwith the worm 13 (Fig. 3) for driving the tub moving mechanism, and withthe worm 14 for operating the wringer driving mechanism, which latter ismounted in the casing .15 bolted or riveted to the frame member 1 (Figs.2 and 3). .The worm 14 engages the worm wheel .16 carried by thevertical r11 shaft 17, and such shaft in turn drives the rolls of thewringer 18 through suitable gearing and connections in the casings and19, which form no part of the present invention. The casing 19 isswiveled so that it may be swung laterally to carry the wringer fromover the tub and is clamped in position by the locking cam member 20. Asuitable clutch is alsoprovided in the, easmg 19 for connecting anddisconnecting the wringer drive, this being operated by the handle 21..A tube 12 surrounds the shaft 12, and any lubricant which collects. atthe bottom of the casing 15, drains through this tube and along; theshaft 12 into the gear casing 10, 11 where it is reused.

and from which it can be drained from timeto time.

The worm 13 on the shaft 12 engages and crank 27, which serves to givethe tub its A agitating movements, as later described.

The drive between the shaft 23 and the crank shaft 26 is connected anddisconnected by shifting the pinion 24. vertically, such pinion beingeplined on the shaft 23 and having a groovedhub 28. This hub is engagedby the yoke 29 carried by the crank arm 30 (Figs. 2 and 4), which is inturn carried by the shaft 31. The shaft 31 is rotated by the crank arm32, to the outer end of which is attached the vertically movableoperating rod 33. This rod may be moved up and down by the handle 34(Fig. 1) carried by the upper end of the casing 15, thus shifting thepinion 24. As shown in Fig. 2, such pinion is in driving engagement withthe gear 25, but when moved upward, it 'liesabove such gear and out ofengagement therewith. Suitable yielding means'of any type may beemployed for holding the pinion in either of its two positions, so thatit will maintain itself in either position until shifted.

The tub and container is constructed of sheet copper, or other suitablesheet metal, and is provided with a cover 36. It is provided upon itsinterior with the spaced upouter ends to the flange. This flange withthat of the bottom member 35 constructed as indicated in Fig. 6 addsgreatly to the strength and stifiness of the tub and a firm anchoragefor the spider. These arms are riveted at their inner ends to a steelcasting 41 -(as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7), which has integraltherewith a downwardly projecting shaft 42.

The tub is supported from beneath by a universal joint support in theform of a convex or ball -member 43 and a concave member or socket 44,which' latter is bolted to the casing 11. These parts might be reversedalthough the arrangement shown is preferred. The member 43 is itselfprovided with a socket, in which fits the lower end of the shaft 42, andwith a stem 45 carrying the bearing member or pin 46, such pinpreferably havin a driven fitin the stem and being secure by a pin 47.The in 46 is journaled in an inclined socket 1n the crank, 27 (Fig. 2),such socket being preferably provided with a renewable wearing sleeve orbushing 48.

The axis of the tub, the shaft 42 and the pin 46 are all in alignmentand lie on the line 49, which interceptsthe axis of rotation 50 of thecrank 27 at the point 51, the line 49 lying at an acute angle withrespect to the line 50, so that as the crank 27 rotates, the

center line 49 of the tub is caused to describe the surface of a conearound the vertical line 50, as an axis of generation. At the same time,the tub is free to rotate, as an idler about its axis 49, since the in46'is free to rotate with respect to the bus ing 47 in which it is journaled. The shaft 42 fits its tapered socket in the member 43 tightly,so that there is no rotative movement between the shaft and such socket,but the connection at this point permits the tub to be lifted 'ofiwithout difficulty when it becomes necessary to do so in order to giveaccess to the parts beneath.

When the tub is rotated in a counter clockwise direction (Fig. 5), thewater and clothes therein, circulate in the same directionpthe bafliesgiving a rubbing or wash board eifect on the clothes, and alsointerrupting the flow of the water and throwing it inward from thevertical bafies and upward from-the bottom ones. This agitation of'thewater promotes the cleansing effect, the longer bafiies 37 particularlycoming into play when the tub is operating below capacity with only apartial load of clothes. The flange construction at the bottom of thetub in connection with the spider support gives the tub the necessarystrength and rigidity at the point where the strain is greatest, andwhere weakness would ordinarily develop after long continued service ina construction of this type. @ther advantages incident to the cheapnessand simplicity of the construction will be readilyapparent to thoseskilled in the art.

What I claim is: j

1. In combination in a washing machine, a frame, a tub thereabove, aball and socket joint carried by the frame, taking the weight of thetub, and comprising a convex joint member and a concave joint member,one of which is secured to the frame and the other of which is securedto the tub, a crank supported in the frame beneath the joint and havinga vertical driven shaft in line therewith, and a bearing memberprojecting downwardly from the said joint member which is secured to thetub and having jour= naled engagement with the crank, so that the tub isfree to rotate as an idler about its stem for swinging the tub upon itsuniversal mounting so that its axis describes a cone with the tub freeto rotate as an idler about its own inclined axis, and upright bafilessecured to the side walls ofthe tub and projecting inward therefrom.

3. In combination in a washing machine, a frame, a tub carried therebyin a universal mounting and with its axis inclined at an acute angle tothe vertical, means for swing ing the tub upon its universal mounting sothat its axis describes a cone with the tub free to rotate as an idlerabout its own inclined axis, and'up'right baflies secured to the sidewalls of the tub and projecting inframe, a sheet metal tub having itsside wall and bottom wall flanged downwardly below the bottom wall toprovide an annular stiffening ring, a spider comprising a plurality ofradial arms rigidly secured at their outer ends to said ring, a block atthe center of the spider secured to the inner ends of said arms andprovided with a downwardly pro jecting shaft positioned axially of thetub tub being free at the same time to rotate as and journaled in saidcrank, and. bearing an idler about its own axis independent of. meansfor supporting the tub with its axis of the rotation of said crank. 10

rotation at an acute angle to the axis of rota- In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto 5 tion of the crank, so that the rotation of thesubscribed my name this 14th day of July,

crank causes the tub to be'oscillated about 1925. the axis of rotationof the said crank, the v F. W. WFAT.

